How to Toast Coconut (3 Easy Ways!)

Learn how to toast coconut flakes in 3 different ways (they’re all super easy!), how to store toasted coconut, how long toasted coconut lasts, and the many different ways you can use this fun, tasty ingredient! 

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Toasting Coconut

I recently toasted a bunch of coconut for a new ice cream recipe – Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream. It is so good! Seriously, because the family inhaled it! 

Toasting coconut produces a deeper, nutty flavor and is a great way to add depth of flavor to your coconut recipes

I love to add toasted coconut flakes to baked goods. It makes a perfect garnish for a variety of recipes: coconut cupcakes, yogurt parfaits, smoothie bowls, key lime pie ice cream, tropical fruit salad, and more!

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Video: How to Toast Coconut?

Do you love coconut or hate it? Fortunately, everyone in our house is of the same opinion: coconut it any form is delicious!

If you are a coconut lover and haven’t yet tried toasting coconut before, you should!  

It adds a ton of flavor a depth to whatever recipe you are adding it to, and I love that it adds some nice color (thanks to the golden brown color!).

How Do You Toast Coconut

There are three easy methods to make toasted coconut for all of your favorite recipes:

• oven method using a large baking sheet
• stovetop method using a dry skillet
• microwave method using a glass baking pan

They’re all simple methods, in my opinion, it just depends on what your method you personally prefer and what tools you have on hand in your kitchen.

How to Toast Coconut in the Oven

Oven toasted coconut works well, too! The reason I like this method the least is because I feel like it tastes the longest since you have to wait for the oven to preheat.

Feel free to use this method if you prefer it! There is no right or wrong way to make toasted coconut.

To toast coconut in the oven, follow these simple steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet, making sure it is an even, thin layer.
3. Bake for 4-6 minutes at 350 degrees F.
4. Stir the coconut and redistribute on the pan.
5. Bake for an additional 4-6 minutes, or until desired doneness is achieved (stirring every 4 minutes so that it browns evenly).

How to Toast Coconut on the Stove

The thing I like about making toasted coconut on the stove is that you can watch it the entire time and have 100% control over the level of browns because you’ll be watching and stirring it the entire time.

To toast coconut on the stove, follow these simple steps:

1. Add the coconut to a heavy cast iron pan.
2. Spread the shredded coconut out to an even, thin layer and cook over medium-low heat, stirring periodically with a wooden spoon
3. Cook over medium-low heat until desired brownness is achieved.
4. When desired brownness is achieved, remove from heat and let cool completely.

How to Toast Coconut in the Microwave

This is a newer method for me, but a very simple process. To toast coconut in the microwave, follow these simple steps:

1. Spread 1 cup of coconut in a 9×13 glass pan.
2. Microwave the coconut on full (100%) power for 3 – 6 minutes, in 1 minute intervals. That means 1 minute at a time.
3. In between each minute, stir the coconut. Then, microwave for another minute.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until desired brownness is achieved. For me, I find that 5 minutes was perfect.

The above is simply a quick summary of this toasted coconut tutorial. Check out the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

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Tips for Making the Best Toasted Coconut

• Use a rimmed baking sheet when toasting coconut in the oven to prevent coconut from falling off the pan and burning in your oven.
• Prevent uneven browning by spreading the coconut out in an even layer in any of the methods.
• The oven works best for big batches. Use a large sheet pan to toast more coconut at once. If using multiple pans, place them side by side on the same oven rack and rotate halfway through.
• If using the microwave method, make sure you’re using a microwave-safe dish.
• Use a large skillet if you’re needing to toast a large quantity of coconut using the stove. You will need plenty while browning coconut to spread it out in a single layer.

What is the Best Way to Toast Coconut?

I think the microwave method is the best way to make toasted coconut!

For the longest time, I always made my toasted coconut on the stove. That way works great, but the microwave method is the best, in my opinion.

Why? Because I think the microwave yields the most beautiful, evenly golden brown toasted coconut of all of the different methods! And you don’t have to keep such a close eye during the toasting process.

How to Store Toasted Coconut

If you’re toasting coconut for a recipe, you might as well make more than you need because toasted coconut is a great thing to keep on hand in your pantry.  

Once the toasted coconut has cooled completely, you can store it in several different ways. 

1. Store it in a jar in your pantry: My favorite option for how to store toasted coconut is to transfer cooled, toasted coconut to a jar and store toasted shredded coconut in my pantry. I can easily measure out what I need for a recipe or sprinkle a handful on top of a bowl of granola.
2. You can also store it in a bag in the pantry, but I prefer jars like these Weck Jars because I can label them with my label maker, stack them to optimize pantry space, and easily see what the contents are.
3. Store toasted coconut in the refrigerator: you can place the bag or jar of coconut flakes in the refrigerator. This is best if you plan to use toasted coconut regularly but either have a large batch that you want to last a long time.
4. Store it in the freezer: Cool the toasted coconut, transfer to a resealable freezer safe storage bag, and stash it in the freezer. Make remove as much air as possible and be sure to label the bag with date and contents.

No matter which way you choose to store your toasted coconut, make sure that you have allowed it to completely cool before packaging it. You don’t want to introduce any moisture via condensation due to heat. This will severely shorten how long it will last.

How Long Does Toasted Coconut Last?

Stored at room temperature, the shelf life of toasted coconut is about 4 – 6 months.

If you’re want a batch of toasted coconut to last longer than that, you can store it in the refrigerator or the freezer. Toasted coconut flakes will last up to 8 months stored this way. 

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Toasted Coconut Uses

Now that you know how to toast coconut flakes, you might be wondering what to make with toasted coconut. There are so many ways to use this fun ingredient!

• Sprinkle on ice cream or stir in to a batch of homemade ice cream
• Use as a garnish on all your favorite Thai dishes
• Stir into a bowl of oatmeal
• Add to Homemade Yogurt
• Sprinkle in a bowl of Oatmeal
• Use as a salad topping

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What to Make with Coconut:

Here are a few of my favorite recipes using toasted coconut flakes. For more coconut recipes, check out all of the coconut recipes using the ingredient index!

My favorite coconut bread recipe is this recipe for Coconut Lime Banana Bread with Lime Glaze. With coconut, lime zest and juice, and vanilla extract added to the batter, you get a banana bread that has a sweet, citrusy,  tropical flavor to it. The bread is topped with a simple lime glaze and sprinkled with plenty of toasted coconut

If you’re looking for a Coconut Curry Recipe, I love this Coconut Chicken Curry Soup Recipe. This is a fast and easy soup recipe that is full of flavored a great recipe if you are short on time. 

For Toasted Coconut Cookies, I have two options for you. Check out the recipes for Toasted Coconut “Sugar” Cookies and White Chocolate Lemon Coconut Cookies. 

Coconut Balls, like these Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Energy Balls will help you satisfy your chocolate cravings with a mix of protein, healthy fats, and naturally sweet dates and coconut.

For a fun take on coconut bars, these Kiwi-Lime Bars with Macadamia Nut Crust will fit the bill! They’re topped with plenty of toasted coconut flakes for extra crunch and flavor.

For a savory coconut recipe, check out this Pineapple Chicken Quinoa Salad. It combines all the best flavors and textures with crunchy nuts, sweet dried pineapple, coconut flakes, and fluffy quinoa, for a unique one dish meal.

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What’s your favorite way to eat coconut?